Pathfinder Society Additional Resources Updated

Monday, August 13, 2012

With Gen Con just 4 days away, I wanted to release the updated Additional Resources today so everyone has an opportunity to review it and discuss it before Gen Con. It also lets people who are picking up their subscription items at Gen Con have a list on hand so they can immediately utilize those books at the show. Note that even though the Additional Resources is being published today, it won’t officially go into effect until August 15.

With Ultimate Equipment being as voluminous as it is, I certainly missed a few items that have been banned in the past several years. Those items are still banned. If you find an item I forgot to include in the Ultimate Equipment list that is banned, please let me know. I will make sure they are added in the September update of Additional Resources.

In this upcoming Additional Resources, the following updates have been made:

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Advanced Player’s GuideEquipment: All staves in Chapter 7 are not legal for play from this source. If you purchased these prior to Aug. 15, 2012, they are grandfathered into the campaign.

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Ultimate Equipment

All items from Chapter 1 are legal for play except as noted below. Some rules elements are legal but function differently in Pathfinder Society Organized Play, as described here.Equipment: No Large or larger firearm is available for purchase. The double hackbut, culverin and any advanced firearms on Table 1–10 are not permitted in Pathfinder Society Organized Play. No character may purchase a firearm unless she possesses the Gunsmithing feat and firearms are never considered Always Available; a character must possess enough Fame to purchase any firearm not found on a Chronicle sheet or granted by a class feature. All ammunition except metal cartridges may be purchased.Special Materials: All special materials, except angel skin and living steel, are legal for play.

All items from Chapter 2 are legal for play except as noted below.Equipment: Only creatures of the animal type of size Large and smaller may be purchased. No eggs are legal for play. Animal-related gear on pages 80–86 is available for purchase. Transports on pages 86–87 are not available for purchase. All alchemical remedies, alchemical tools, alchemical weapons, clothing, entertainment items, and food and drink are legal for play.
Any character with the Poison Use class ability can purchase and use poisons. For now, they are the only classes that have a list of “always available poisons” (those noted below)—no other class may purchase poisons unless they appear on a Chronicle sheet or in another legal source. Alchemists, ninja, and poisoner rogues may only purchase the following poisons: black adder venom, bloodroot, giant wasp poison, greenblood oil, large scorpion venom, malyass root paste, Medium spider venom, nitharit, shadow essence, small centipede poison, terinav root.

All items from Chapter 4 are legal for play except as noted below.
All rings on pages 166–177 are legal for play.
All rods on pages 178–191, except rod of the viper, are legal for play.
All staves on pages 192–203, except unholy staff, are legal for play.

All items from Chapter 5 are legal for play except as noted below.Equipment: All items on pages 208–325, except ampoule of false blood, beneficial bandolier, bone razor, cauldron of the undead, collar of the true companion, darkskull, horn of evil, otherworldly kimono, orb of foul abaddon, robe of the archmagi (black), stalker’s mask, and talons of Leng are legal for play.

Nothing from Chapter 6 is legal for play unless it appears on a Chronicle sheet.

I hope that a few days of advance notice will help everyone plan for use of the new books releasing at Gen Con, and that you can properly prepare your characters to use all the new shiny toys during the show.

I noticed the Varisian idol was banned from the Varisia sourcebook. This item is a bit different than the idol presented in the Rise of the Runelords player's guide. That item was legal under the "All Equipment on pages 10-11" description. Is that idol still PFS legal?

No it isn't. I will fix it in the next Additional Resources in the RotRL players guide.

I just wanted to weigh in. While I will respect Mike's decision. I was confused and disappointed when I realized that Deadly Dealer was not allowed. Looking at its requirements, there is nothing I can see that is not currently allowed in Society play. Its effects are neat but, imho, not overpowered, with the addition that one of them will see limited use as PCs can not use Magic Item creation Feats.

I am confused why the Roles are included in the question of whats allowed as they have no systematic effect and are just guidelines. In my opinion, their mention in the additional resources documents is a waste of space.

Lastly, I will join my voice with those who are confused over the denial of the HellKnight Signifer prestige class. I do not have access to the book as of yet so I can not comment with any specifics in mind

I mean no disrespect in any of the above and in fact am trying to be helpful in my responses, I hope my post is viewed in that light. I have said my piece on these items and will now drop it, unless someone wants me to clarify something.

Not a subscriber so I won't have Ultimate Equipment until Thursday, but here's a list of things that are currently legal from one source but not legal from UE. (Some may be different things with the same name and I may have missed some.)

I see that most of these are "evil" items. Most aren't big impacters; no one could use Dastard or the Black Robe anyway, unholy doesn't work against much in PFS and the Nine Lives Stealer is a serious limited charge item. But I know some negative channel focused clerics who were greedily eyeing the Darkskull (with a nice effect tied to it) and I have no idea why the Celestial and Elysian shields would be banned.

Anyway, there's the list of things that need to be updated one way or the other.

Not a subscriber so I won't have Ultimate Equipment until Thursday, but here's a list of things that are currently legal from one source but not legal from UE. (Some may be different things with the same name and I may have missed some.)

I see that most of these are "evil" items. Most aren't big impacters; no one could use Dastard or the Black Robe anyway, unholy doesn't work against much in PFS and the Nine Lives Stealer is a serious limited charge item. But I know some negative channel focused clerics who were greedily eyeing the Darkskull (with a nice effect tied to it) and I have no idea why the Celestial and Elysian shields would be banned.

Anyway, there's the list of things that need to be updated one way or the other.

Thanks. I will update the entries in APG to reflect the above that I missed. Also, as for the few items in the CRB that were legal. I made a decision that those items are going away and are no longer legal in PFS play.

All I've heard for the last year is how Chronicle sheets don't matter and how people wish they did. One of the ways I'm trying to improve this is to make most "general" magic items legal, but any specific named items restricted to Chronicles only. Making everything legal carte Blanche in the past is what has led us to Chronicle sheets not being very interesting now. Wouldn't you rather fight a bad guy who has the above item, and then claim it, instead of me just saying it was legal and everyone who wants can buy one?

Michael, I 100% approve of a more-restricted Open list and chronicle access to Cool Toys. It was one of the things that made the "what's on the bad guys" matter in LG, and not matter much at all in LFR.

Also, still stoked about the access presented on the Storval Stairs chronicle. It seems the Season 4 adventures are already moving toward this improvement!

All I've heard for the last year is how Chronicle sheets don't matter and how people wish they did. One of the ways I'm trying to improve this is to make most "general" magic items legal, but any specific named items restricted to Chronicles only. Making everything legal carte Blanche in the past is what has led us to Chronicle sheets not being very interesting now. Wouldn't you rather fight a bad guy who has the above item, and then claim it, instead of me just saying it was legal and everyone who wants can buy one?

*applauds* Same thing for some of the prestige classes being unlocked. Maybe the Hellknight Signifier will be unlocked if you do a specific scenario and 'cross the line' in that scenario.

Spoiler:

Yeah, to me there's a difference between whether a race is legal or not and an item. Some of my character concepts work best with a race (Osiron Aasimar sorcerer based on her, that I'm enjoying Dexios being able to call himself a (litteral) lawyer from Hell, wolf riding gnomes, etc.) And an item. Dex will still be Dex if I never get a Celestial Shield for him (or Celestial Armor, though that's on the wish list) Likewise if Tiyet takes a level of monk, she'll still be the same concept w/o a blade of the sword saint.

All I've heard for the last year is how Chronicle sheets don't matter and how people wish they did. One of the ways I'm trying to improve this is to make most "general" magic items legal, but any specific named items restricted to Chronicles only. Making everything legal carte Blanche in the past is what has led us to Chronicle sheets not being very interesting now. Wouldn't you rather fight a bad guy who has the above item, and then claim it, instead of me just saying it was legal and everyone who wants can buy one?

All I've heard for the last year is how Chronicle sheets don't matter and how people wish they did. One of the ways I'm trying to improve this is to make most "general" magic items legal, but any specific named items restricted to Chronicles only. Making everything legal carte Blanche in the past is what has led us to Chronicle sheets not being very interesting now. Wouldn't you rather fight a bad guy who has the above item, and then claim it, instead of me just saying it was legal and everyone who wants can buy one?

They broke the PFS "race barrier" by including a unique race as a possible reward of playing at the PaizoCon Convocation -- so I think the "class barrier" will be an easy one to move through as well.

Boons I have no real problem with, given how easy it is to trade for them online/at conventions and they can be applied to any character.

My largest hesitation with PrC Chronicles is making sure you play the scenario you need with the right character before they level beyond the PrC being worthwhile (some simply aren't if you can't take X number of levels in them). It makes it very difficult to plan out a character.

My suggestion on Chronicles is to allow any character for that player access (even if it is just one PC, a la the Fetchling Chronicle from the 12+ tier of the Grand Convocation) when it is acquired this way.

They broke the PFS "race barrier" by including a unique race as a possible reward of playing at the PaizoCon Convocation -- so I think the "class barrier" will be an easy one to move through as well.

Boons I have no real problem with, given how easy it is to trade for them online/at conventions and they can be applied to any character.

My largest hesitation with PrC Chronicles is making sure you play the scenario you need with the right character before they level beyond the PrC being worthwhile (some simply aren't if you can't take X number of levels in them). It makes it very difficult to plan out a character.

My suggestion on Chronicles is to allow any character for that player access (even if it is just one PC, a la the Fetchling Chronicle from the 12+ tier of the Grand Convocation) when it is acquired this way.

My largest hesitation with PrC Chronicles is making sure you play the scenario you need with the right character before they level beyond the PrC being worthwhile

perhaps the PrC unlocking will be available through some of the PFS Quests since they can be run through with each character. And perhaps these quests would be titled obviously, like: "The Signifier's Initiation" or "Indoctrination in the Cult of Razmir" etc

I'm not particularly concerned about new prestige classes in PFS. The level 12 retirement cap severely impacts what you can do with a prestige class. I have three characters at the moment (12, 8, 5) and it's too late for any of those to take advantage of a new prestige class (since none of them was banned and has to rebuild).

My largest hesitation with PrC Chronicles is making sure you play the scenario you need with the right character before they level beyond the PrC being worthwhile

perhaps the PrC unlocking will be available through some of the PFS Quests since they can be run through with each character. And perhaps these quests would be titled obviously, like: "The Signifier's Initiation" or "Indoctrination in the Cult of Razmir" etc

That would be absolutely awesome. I love the idea. Very much so.

Sporge wrote:

Well fingers crossed on a few...

Wiles of the Winter Witch?

I know I'd love to get my hands on the ability to play a Gray Gardener.

Don't build it up too much in your head or you might get disappointed. Now that it's been revised, it's a nice little item for any class, but it's not too helpful to monks due to slot choice and action requirement.

Not at all. Druids are my second favorite class. I dont know why you would leap to the assumption I hate them. Most, if not all, new specific named armor, shields, and weapons were restricted so we have something to add to Chronicle sheets in the future to try to make them more interesting.

Not at all. Druids are my second favorite class. I dont know why you would leap to the assumption I hate them. Most, if not all, new specific named armor, shields, and weapons were restricted so we have something to add to Chronicle sheets in the future to try to make them more interesting.

Cool

Calmese cheapy, it's all good natured ribbing.
Per that vein, can I request ironwood breastplate ? Dragon hide full plate is nice, but most druids don't have heavy armor proficiency anymore.

How come the Razmiran Priest PRC isn't legal? There doesn't seem to be anything particularly overpowered about it. I had been thinking of making a character with the Razmiran Priest Sorcerer Archetype, but not having the PRC to go along with it kind of bums me out.

How come the Razmiran Priest PRC isn't legal? There doesn't seem to be anything particularly overpowered about it. I had been thinking of making a character with the Razmiran Priest Sorcerer Archetype, but not having the PRC to go along with it kind of bums me out.

My guess would be that the PRC is based on conning your allies and running away of they notice the con. That doesn't fit too well with the Pathfinder Society fluff.